How does he expect to be received by that town when he steps on the field in another uniform?
``Well," he said after another Mets' win Tuesday night, ``the way they are in my heart, if they feel the same way that I feel, it should be a mutual respect and passion for each other. I had a lot of fun. My best memories in baseball are in Boston, so I hope they receive me the way I have them in my heart.
``Especially those fans in right field, the `K' crew with their cards [for strikeouts]. I can't forget those people, everybody posting the Ks. It was a lot of fun. It was a legacy I built. It's going to take a while until somebody comes and does that again."
Martínez is scheduled to pitch in Fenway Park Wednesday night, in the middle game of a three-game series between the Mets, who have the best record in the National League and a 9 1/2-game lead over the Phillies in the East, and the Red Sox, who have a two-game lead over the Yankees in the American League East.
``I wish I didn't have to pitch," he said. ``I wish I had the opportunity to choose, but a job is a job.
``Why? Because there are too many friends. Too many feelings. It's difficult.
``A loss has to go to one side or the other. I'm a fan of the Red Sox, believe me. You have [Jason] Varitek, you have David [Ortiz], you have all those guys there. Manny [Ramírez], David, Varitek. I get along with a lot of the other guys that were brought to the team. Schill [Curt Schilling], all those guys. Those are my teammates, the ones that got me a championship.
``I have the same feeling for lot of people. I have so many people there I want to see. My godbrother, my godson. I want to see [broadcaster] Joe Castiglione. Pookie [Jackson, the assistant equipment manager], Joe Cochran [the equipment manager]. Kerri [Moore, the media relations manager]. I miss Kerri a lot."
